Family-Friendly
Creamy Mushroom Penne
A weeknight Dubai dinner that comes together in under 30 minutes. Mushrooms get golden in a hot pan, then a splash of cream and a handful of parmesan turn the pan sauce silky. The ridges on Cibo di Italia Penne Rigate grab every drop.
Ingredients
- 400gCibo di Italia Penne Rigate
- 400gmixed mushrooms — button, chestnut or oyster — sliced thick
- 3tbspolive oil
- 30gbutter
- 3piecesgarlic cloves — finely sliced
- 2tspfresh thyme leaves — or 1 tsp dried
- 200mlcooking cream — single cream, around 18% fat
- 50gparmesan — finely grated, plus extra to serve
- 1tbsplemon juice — about half a small lemon
- to tastesalt and black pepper
- 2tbspflat-leaf parsley — chopped
Method
Step 1.Bring 4 litres of well-salted water (2 tbsp salt) to a hard boil in a large pot for the pasta.
8 min
Step 2.Heat 2 tbsp olive oil and the butter in a wide pan over medium-high. Add mushrooms in one layer and let them sit untouched for 3 minutes so they get colour.
3 min
Step 3.Stir the mushrooms, season with a good pinch of salt, and cook 4 minutes more until deeply golden. Add garlic and thyme and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
5 min
Step 4.Drop the penne into the boiling water. Set a timer for 9 minutes — taste at 8 for al dente.
9 min
Step 5.Pour the cream into the mushroom pan and bring to a gentle simmer. Lower the heat, stir in half the parmesan, and turn off the burner.
2 min
Step 6.Scoop out a mug of pasta water before draining. Tip the drained penne straight into the cream pan with a splash of pasta water.
1 min
Step 7.Toss for 1 minute until the sauce coats every ridge, loosening with more pasta water if needed. Finish with lemon juice, parsley and a grind of black pepper.
1 min
Step 8.Plate up and shower with the rest of the parmesan. Serve immediately while the cream is glossy.
Goes well with
Sparkling water with cucumber, lemon and a few sprigs of mint — cuts the richness cleanly.
A simple rocket and shaved-parmesan salad with lemon dressing.
Fresh strawberries with a drizzle of balsamic and a crack of black pepper.
The pasta we used
Cibo di Italia Penne Rigate
500g · Cooks in 9–11 minutes · Serves ~5
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